Arroyo November 2016

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FINE LIVING IN THE GREATER PASADENA AREA

November 2016

TECH NEW GADGETS THAT WILL CHANGE YOUR LIFE

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HIGH-TECH MAKEOVER CALTECH’S VISION QUEST Teaching computers to “see”


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arroyo

VOLUME 12 | NUMBER 11 | NOVEMBER 2016

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TECH 15 VISION QUEST Caltech is training computers to identify the exact flora and fauna they’re “seeing.” —By BRENDA REES

PHOTOS: (Top) Courtesy of Wonderwoof; (bottom right) Courtesy of Santa Anita Park

21 ONLINE AT YOUR OWN RISK Privacy is a thing of the past. Here are some tips on how to revive it. —By BETTIJANE LEVINE

39 SANTA ANITA PARK GOES HIGH-TECH The Arcadia racetrack ups the stakes with the latest technology, including betting from smartphones. —By BRENDA REES

45 GADGETS Cutting-edge technology that will change your life. —By IRENE LACHERE

DEPARTMENTS 10

FESTIVITIES The Gamble House toasts its 50th, Pasadena Museum of History bash and more

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LÉON BING A feast of amuse-bouches

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ARROYO HOME SALES INDEX

48

KITCHEN CONFESSIONS Hot sauce life lessons

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THE LIST The Contemporary Crafts Market, David Sedaris plus art, toys and zombies at DesignerCon

ABOUT THE COVER: Courtesy of Segway Robot 11.16 ARROYO | 7


EDITOR’S NOTE

You don’t have to travel far from the Arroyo Monthly office to see how tech-oriented we are in the 21st century. Every time Apple releases a new iPhone, you can count on lines around the block, trailing from the Apple Store around the corner. So it’s easy to take for granted how much easier (and longer) technology has made our lives since the Industrial Revolution — and how recent those innovations have been. Consider this: recorded history stretches back to 3500 BCE and humans entered the Machine Age (a.k.a. the Second Industrial Revolution) only 135 years ago. That means that for nearly 5,400 years, most people’s lives were, as the political philosopher Thomas Hobbes famously put it, “nasty, brutish and short.” As recently as a century ago, expected lifespans in the U.S. were just 49.6 for men and 54.3 for women — and, thanks to advances in sanitation, nutrition and education, even that was a huge jump over 1900, when men lived to 46.3 and women to 48.3. The 20th century’s plethora of medical discoveries, particularly in the development of new antibiotics and vaccines, have helped boost those numbers to 76.7 for men and 81.1 for women today. (More than 50 countries have longer life expectancy than we do, but that’s another story.) The National Institute on Aging calls that dramatic increase “one of society’s greatest achievements.” Of course, Pasadena is home to a hotbed of innovation — Caltech. In our first Tech Issue, Brenda Rees looks at the school’s Visipedia Project, where computers are learning to identify what they “see.” The technology offers a bunch of intriguing applications, such as drastically improving the way cities manage their urban forests. Rees also investigated Santa Anita Park’s new tech upgrades — including mobile betting — as it prepares to host the Breeders’ Cup this month. Of course, not all tech news is good. Hackers have been outpacing our ability to protect our financial and health information online, making privacy a thing of the past. Bettijane Levine examines the problem and offers steps you can take to protect your data. —Irene Lacher

EDITOR IN CHIEF Irene Lacher ART DIRECTOR Carla Cortez ASSISTANT ART DIRECTOR Stephanie Torres PRODUCTION DESIGNERS Rochelle Bassarear, Richard Garcia EDITOR-AT-LARGE Bettijane Levine COPY EDITOR John Seeley CONTRIBUTORS Denise Abbott, Leslie Bilderback, Léon Bing, Martin Booe, James Carbone, Michael Cervin, Scarlet Cheng, Richard Cunningham, Carole Dixon, Lisa Dupuy, Lynne Heffley, Kathleen Kelleher, Rebecca Kuzins, Elizabeth McMillian, Brenda Rees, John Sollenberger, Nancy Spiller, Leslie A. Westbrook ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Dina Stegon ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Lisa Chase, Brenda Clarke, Leslie Lamm ADVERTORIAL CONTRIBUTING EDITOR Bruce Haring HUMAN RESOURCES MANAGER Andrea Baker PAYROLL Linda Lam CONTROLLER Kacie Cobian ACCOUNTING Sharon Huie, Teni Keshishian OFFICE MANAGER Ann Turrietta PUBLISHER Jon Guynn 8 | ARROYO | 11.16

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FINE LIVING IN THE GREATER PASADENA AREA

SOUTHLAND PUBLISHING V.P. OF OPERATIONS David Comden PRESIDENT Bruce Bolkin CONTACT US ADVERTISING dinas@pasadenaweekly.com EDITORIAL editor@arroyomonthly.com PHONE (626) 584-1500 FAX (626) 795-0149 MAILING ADDRESS 50 S. De Lacey Ave., Ste. 200, Pasadena, CA 91105 ArroyoMonthly.com

©2016 Southland Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.


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FESTIVITIES

Richard and Ann Ward, Thomas Seifert, Dianne Philibosian, Dave and Holly Davis

Victor Espinoza, Valerie Hoffman, Alyce Williamson, Bob Baffert, Debbie Lanni and Betsy Applebaum 10 | ARROYO | 11.16

Ted Bosley and Donald Hahn

The Gamble House marked its first half-century with a 50th Anniversary Celebration Gala on Sept. 21. Notable speakers at the al fresco fundraising dinner on the grounds of the historical landmark included Pasadena Mayor Terry Tornek, Gamble House Director Ted Bosley, USC School of Architecture Dean Qingyun Ma and Katherine Malone-France of the National Trust Historic Sites. Guests were also treated to a preview of The Gamble House, a new doc by Beauty and the Beast producer Donald Hahn…Some 160 supporters of the Pasadena Museum of History converged on the California Club Oct. 15 for the annual Contemporary History Makers Gala, where honorees included architectural historian Robert Winter and three philanthropic couples: David and Holly Davis, Thomas Seifert and Dianne Philibosian and Ann and Richard Ward. The dinner benefit, organized by event chairs Carol and Bill Thomson and Executive Director Jeannette O’Malley, raised $104,000 for the museum’s education programs…More than 100 guests of the Music Center’s Blue Ribbon gathered at Santa Anita Park’s newly remodeled Chandelier Room Oct. 9 to toast their “Day at the Races” and lunch on the Turf Terrace. Guests included racing VIPs trainer Bob Baffert and jockey Victor Espinoza. The event was chaired by Alyce Williamson and co-chaired by Debbie Lanni, both of Pasadena…On Sept. 21, Snyder Diamond hosted a book party for Gordon B. Kaufmann, Master Architects of Southern California 1918-1941 by Bret Parsons, Marc Appleton and Steve Vaught at its Santa Monica location.

Alyce Williamson, veteran “Call to the Races” trumpeteer Jay Cohen and Annette Ermshar

Bret Parsons, Russ Diamond, Marc Appleton and Steve Vaught

Rob Woodson, Melinda Ritz and Steve-Vaught

Russ Diamond and Marc Appleton

PHOTOS: April Rocha Photography (Gamble House Gala) ; Ryan Miller/Capture Imaging (The Blue Ribbon Group); Melissa Manning (Master Architects Inaugral Book Signing and Reception)

Ted Bosley, Shouning Li and Qingyun Ma


LÉON BING

A FEAST OF AMUSE-BOUCHES ’m not a picky eater. I eat almost anything (with the exception of brains; the thought of them gives me a momentary headache), but I have definite favorites. Tripe is very high on my list of perfect meals — that’s right: tripe. Many people, with the exception of those of French or Spanish background, are appalled by my taste for this delicacy. My grandmother prepared it with a wonderful garlicky tomato-and-vegetable sauce and we’d sop that up with sourdough French bread after eating everything else on our plates. I could plough through an entire Thanksgiving meal and if our hosts offered a dish of tripe before the pumpkin pie, I’d go for it like a wild boar — and then eat the pie. I’m a pretty bum cook: meatloaf and spaghetti, full stop, and I am in no way a gourmet, but I truly appreciate a good meal and the Mister is just fine at providing them. He’s an inventive cook who also keeps an eye on what’s healthy, although I will not eat anything with kale in it. I tell him that’s cattle feed and I mean it. I’m crazy about desserts, though: lemon meringue and cherry pies, chocolate soufflés, Napoleons, canneloni — the kind with bits of candied fruit nestled into the cream fi lling.

I

While we’re on the subject of desserts, the Mister and I found a wonderful small bakery on Mission Street in South Pasadena, a couple doors down from that very good Indian restaurant, Radhika, on the corner of Meridian. The bakery is called My Sweet Cupcake and they’re not kidding. The cupcakes are delicious, rose-petal light and they come in many flavors. The brownies just about did me in: dark, moist and dense with the flavor of real chocolate, so real that

I was flooded with the memory of being taken to the Ghiradelli factory in San Francisco by my grandfather when I was maybe 6 years old. We were given a tour, marveled at the great vats fi lled with pudding-thick fragrant chocolate — one milk chocolate, the other bittersweet — roiled slowly around by propeller-like rotors and we were both given small paper cups, warm from the vats, of each flavor to sample. We agreed on our favorite: the dark, bittersweet chocolate. A couple times a month he would bring home a box of See’s candy. He would buy the family’s favorite varieties: dark chocolate–covered ginger, orange rind and cherries. See’s shops are still flourishing, their candies still delicious, but the ginger and orange rind pieces are now extinct. Not enough people like those flavors, I guess, but there’s still plenty to choose from: the marshmallow/caramel/dark chocolate creation is not to be despised. Every month or so, when a certain yen hit us, the family would travel over the Bay Bridge to Fisherman’s Wharf for one particular dish: cioppino. Cioppino is an Italian fish stew: clams and crab claws in their shells, cod and shrimp, immersed in a highly seasoned soup built around a reddish broth. We swiped sourdough around the bottom of those emptied bowls, too. The Mister and I found a frozen package of cioppino sauce once, at Trader Joe’s. We loaded cooked shrimp and cod into it and I was surprised by the precise complexity of tastes. It was kind of like being back at Fisherman’s Wharf as a kid, only without my family or the ambience. But I have to say it: the presence of my Mister, Gareth S., more than made up for it; after nearly 14 years, he’s more than family to me. –continued on page 12

Mmmm...tripe!

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LÉON BING

EVERY MONTH OR SO, WHEN A CERTAIN YEN HIT US, THE FAMILY WOULD TRAVEL OVER THE BAY BRIDGE TO FISHERMAN’S WHARF FOR ONE PARTICULAR DISH: CIOPPINO. –continued from page 11

Back in the mid-’80s, when I’d just begun my initial foray into becoming a writer, I got lucky and sold my first piece of work to Eric Mankin, then news editor of the L.A. Weekly. It was about kids living in squats — abandoned houses — in Venice. Eric asked for a couple more pages and he not only put it on the cover, he kindled my career. At that time, Jonathan Gold was the Weekly’s food editor. He liked the two or three more cover stories I did, and in time, we became friends. Once in a while he’d take me to lunch at a restaurant or diner he planned to review. Sometimes these places were rather exotic and my only request was that I never be served any dish in which sheep eyes were cradled among the other ingredients. Jonathan, who lives in Pasadena, is a truly fine writer and I learned a great deal from him (he went on to win a Pulitzer Prize). When he spoke at the Pasadena Public Library a few months ago, we raced over to see him (Gold and I had lost touch some years back, but I feel the same deep affection and admiration for him). The place was so crowded the auditorium couldn’t hold all his admirers, and the overflow had to be shuttled to another large space where he could be seen on a large-screen TV. I left a note with one of the librarians and we reconnected by email and telephone. He and his wife, Laurie Ochoa (who went on to top editing jobs at the L.A. Weekly and the L.A. Times) have a daughter in college and a young son, Leon, named, I believe, for Jonathan’s father. Earlier in the column I made some mention of the Mister’s cooking ability. One of his best dishes is a terrific shrimp stew made with lime and orange juices, onions and garlic, all of it beautifully spiced. He serves it on a bed of white rice and I’ve yet to meet the person who hasn’t gone for seconds. He makes it the night before so all the ingredients blend into a great meal. My job during prep time? I get to wash and peel the big gray shrimp and then watch them turn pink as the Mister sautés them before sliding them into the big orange French cooking pot. We both love Le Creuset cookware and sometimes, if we get lucky, we can find more of it at a great price at the Tuesday Morning store here in Pasadena. There are two things I’m okay — no, good — at in the kitchen: I know when to stay out of the way and I’m a great little cleaner-upper, helped along by the fact that we have a dishwasher with many sections. And we both take turns swiping up spills and general schmutz off the floor. I’m a fiend when it comes to a clean kitchen, bathroom too when it comes to it. And G.S. is right up there with me. Like the old saying goes: two peas in a pod.|||| 12 | ARROYO | 11.16


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VISION QUEST Caltech is training computers to identify the exact flora and fauna they’re “seeing.” BY BRENDA REES

THE DAY IS COMING WHEN YOU WILL SIMPLY POINT YOUR SMARTPHONE AT LOCAL FLORA AND FAUNA AND A HIGHLY SOPHISTICATED APP WILL EXPLAIN THAT YOU ARE WATCHING A SCIURUS NIGER (EASTERN FOX SQUIRREL) JUMP INTO A BIG HETEROMELES ARBUTIFOLIA (TOYAN BUSH) WHILE A FLOCK OF PSALTRIPARUS MINIMUS (BUSHTITS) FLIES AWAY. With visual recognition programs making their mark at a fast and furious pace (e.g. selfdriving cars, facial emotional detection software, medical imaging and more), it shouldn’t be surprising that one of the key players from the academic realm is Caltech’s Vision Laboratory. Caltech lab engineers may have just created an easier, efficient computer model enabling cities to keep up-to-date inventory on urban forests and street trees. It could radically change how “urban forests” are managed, currently a labor-intensive job that arborists perform on foot.

Cataloguing woody plants, however, wasn’t the initial target; the tree program grew out of a larger, ongoing project — Visipedia, which is attempting to teach computers to accurately identify all living things by “sight.” Still in its infancy, Visipedia is a collaboration between Caltech and two upstate New York partners: Professor Serge Belongie of the Joan & Irwin Jacobs Technion–Cornell Institute and the Cornell Lab of Ornithology. Birds were the first category in the Visipedia spotlight; engineers are developing algorithms that can recognize the species of a North American bird from a single picture. Birders are encouraged to upload images of known bird species to help train the program to recognize their individual characteristics. The more images the program is exposed to, the more the program learns and the better the chances of a correct identification. (To add your own bird photos, visit merline.allaboutbirds.org/photo-id.) The idea for turning that technology loose on trees came when Caltech scientist Pietro Perona was walking around Pasadena neighborhoods near the campus with visiting colleagues. Perona, a leader on the Visipedia project, is the Allen E. Puckett Professor of Electrical Engineering in Caltech’s Division of Engineering and Applied Sciences. “In the past we only focused on birds and Perona was interested in testing the program on another category,” says David Hall, a Caltech grad student working with Perona. Hall explained that Perona’s pivot was inspired by a stroll around the campus with visiting Professor Jan Wegner from ETH Zurich, a Swiss science and tech university. Wegner’s work involves –continued on page 16

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HOW IT WORKS

remote sensing using satellite imagery; Perona and Wegner were wondering how to incorporate aerial mapping images in the computer vision project. “Then they saw the trees,” says Hall. Talk about a Eureka moment. Perona and Wegner assembled a team to work on a tree-recognition project, recruiting Hall and Steven Branson from Caltech’s Computer Vision Lab, along with Professor Konrad Schindler from ETH Zurich. Using a 2013 survey of Pasadena’s 80,000 trees and street and aerial views from Google Earth, the engineers began training the program to understand images of trees and Pasadena’s species. “It’s a program similar to how a person learns and how the brain works,” says Branson, a postdoctoral candidate deeply involved in the Visipedia project. “We’re teaching the machine to recognize patterns by giving it a whole bunch of examples until it learns how to differentiate patterns and make accurate predictions.” Branson and Hall say the challenge is to give the program enough images to “learn” how to associate certain characteristics with a specific species and to correct wrong assumptions. (“It often thought telephone poles were palm trees,” says Branson.) The engineers ultimately trained the algorithms to identify 18 of the more than 200 species of trees in the Pasadena area. The team divided Pasadena in half to test the program against the results from the 2013 survey. The results were striking: the computer had about an 80 percent accuracy rate. “We were surprised at how well it actually worked,” acknowledges Branson. “Compared to humans, it was doing pretty well predicting tree species.” Indeed, it can take a human many years to learn how to classify trees accurately. But a bank of well-trained computers could theoretically sort through the data in a matter of hours. The City of Los Angeles caught wind of the Pasadena tree survey experiment and perked up. It had been two decades since L.A. had surveyed its 700,000 trees. Surveys have traditionally been done by hand with human counters walking the streets for months at a time. An extensive survey typically costs the city a whopping $3 million. So L.A.’s Bureau of Street Services reached out to Perona, who was eager to test the algorithm method on a larger scale. Even with preliminary results completed, the Caltech team is still actively working on perfecting the technology. But for L.A. to receive the results, it will have to make a special arrangement with Google, and negotiations are under way. Google images used for academic purposes are gratis – as was the case with the Pasadena tree project – but not for cities. If an agreement is reached, L.A. will also compensate Caltech only for programming done specifically for the city. (Pasadena officials say the city has just supplied Caltech with tree survey data and won’t be applying this technology due to cost.) –continued on page 18 16 | ARROYO | 11.16

ILLUSTRATION: “Cataloging Public Objects Using Aerial and Street-Level Images – Urban Trees” by Jan D. Wegnera, Steve Branson, David Hall, Konrad Schindler and Pietro Perona

–continued from page 15


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Caltech Engineering Professor Pietro Perona is leading Visipedia research in Pasadena

–continued from page 16

Branson and Hall agree the tree-ID program has promise for cities that want to manage urban forests and street trees, especially in light of climate change and, at least in California, the ongoing drought. “Going to a new region in the U.S.A., say in Boston or New York, means different types of trees that we don’t have here in Pasadena or Los Angeles,” says Hall. “The algorithms we trained won’t work there with those trees. We’d have to collect examples from those new locations and feed them into the model. Collecting that information is a bit of challenge, [requiring] effort and time, but there are ways to do that efficiently.” The computer, however, can’t do it alone. Branson and Hall say that human experts have been called on to help develop the tree identification plan and the larger Visipedia project. TreePeople volunteers have helped identify L.A. trees; Cornell ornithologists are bringing their proficiency to the Merlin bird-identification system; and for the Visipedia project, Caltech is considering collaborating with the iNaturalist community for crowd-based flora and fauna expertise. “The computer is a place where we can consolidate all the expertise that experts have with identifying birds, insects and more,” concludes Branson. “No one can be good at everything.” Sure, maybe not one person, but maybe…one computer. |||| To learn more about Visipedia visit vision.caltech.edu/visipedia/. For information on Caltech’s tree-recognition project, visit vision.caltech.edu/registree.

Engineers are on a quest to construct a computer capable of complicated thinking by using a series of algorithms — instructional sequences — to help the machine solve a problem posed by humans. Computers are superb at recognizing and analyzing words and text data; scientists are now refining computer-vision capacity that will soon have far-reaching applications in all aspects of life. Teaching a computer how to see requires creating artificial neural networks that mimic the human learning experience. That’s accomplished by repetition and variety — that is, images of the subjects from different angles. The more images of a certain subject you feed the computer, the greater the likelihood that it will correctly identify a similar image. So where are engineers and scientists getting these images? Big tech companies, startups and universities often look to social media, where open source pictures are free for the taking. There is a reason why Google and Facebook allow unlimited free uploads of photos on their sites. Your pictures of little Jimmy’s birthday party, that recent trip to Paris or what you had for lunch last week may be used to train a computer network for visual proficiency. You have been warned.—B.R. 18 | ARROYO | 11.16

PHOTO: Caltech EAS Communications Office

THE RISE OF COMPUTER VISION


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ONLINE AT YOUR OWN RISK Privacy is a thing of the past. Here are some tips on how to revive it. BY BETTIJANE LEVINE

DO YOU COVER YOUR LAPTOP WEBCAM WITH A LITTLE PIECE OF TAPE? FACEBOOK CEO MARK ZUCKERBERG AND FBI DIRECTOR JAMES COMEY DO. Do you use two-factor authentication, or do you just sign on with your user name and password? Two-factor is a better safety bet. Are your most sensitive fi les encrypted? If not, why not? Do you automatically click that you’ve read and accept the “terms and conditions” or “privacy policy” of the website and apps you want to utilize? Most of us do. But what we’re agreeing to can be an unacceptable exchange: we’re trading nuggets of privacy in exchange for service. And the data collected is one more piece in the puzzle that can be used for no good. So on a recent outing to Montecito with Pasadena friends, we noticed something odd. The couple paid for everything in cash: hotel bill, meals, even a $700 antique bauble the wife –continued on page 22 11.16 | ARROYO | 21


–continued from page 21

bought at an insufferably chic little shop. When we asked why they used cash instead of cards, the wife mumbled something about “security” and “leaving less of a trail.” That sounded a bit extreme until we read the November issue of Consumer Reports, devoted to protecting privacy and preventing identity theft. CR’s authors answer many questions we’ve all asked: Is it safe to shop and bank online? Is it safe to use Google, Yahoo, Facebook and LinkedIn? Is it safe to download apps for games and fitness tracking, to use our smartphones, smartcars and smarthome security systems? The short answer to all the above is no. Technology has made our lives better in so many ways, but it has outpaced our ability to combat its dark side. At a time when even the U.S. State Department, the Democratic National Committee and Sony Pictures have been hacked by the Russians or the North Koreans, none of our personal information is inherently safe; almost anyone’s privacy can be compromised, and almost every innocent-seeming action we take online or with our smart stuff involves data collection about our personal health and habits or our financial status. The huge trade in such personal data is a constantly expanding multibillion-dollar industry, known as “the surveillanceindustrial complex.” The term refers to companies called data aggregators who track what you buy (online and off ), where you fly, your health and financial data. Th is information can be shared, traded and sold, supposedly so that companies can better market their products to you. The bits and pieces can be combined to provide a complete dossier on your personal and financial life, all of which is unavailable to you and may even be hackable. Don’t want to be tracked, hacked and your information traded? The good news is that you — and only you — can help forestall intrusion into your privacy and financial security. Is it urgent to take action? Only if you don’t want to risk your family’s personal and financial life being used for crime or profit or both. At this point, more than 900 million records have been compromised from organizations in the U.S., according to the nonprofit Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, which believes the actual number is higher, since many organizations do not even know they’ve been breached or have not reported breaches. That figure does not even include the thousands of indie rogue 22 | ARROYO | 11.16

hackers plying their trade locally and globally. While this story was being written, for example, 28-year-old Edward Majerzyk pled guilty in federal court to running a sophisticated phishing scheme that tricked online victims, including unnamed celebrities, into giving up their user names and passwords for such services as Apple’s iCloud and Google’s Gmail. And in September, Yahoo reported the largest security breach yet in U.S. history — 500 million customers’ names and personal information, including passwords and answers to security questions, were stolen. We’re told to arm ourselves by changing passwords on a regular basis, but that won’t protect you, according to Consumer Reports. Better to have relatively unbreakable passwords you can retain forever, or until you suspect a breach. (The issue describes how to create such passwords.) In an informal survey of Pasadenans on the street, we found people so accustomed to reading about security breaches at corporations and government agencies, or being informed that their own information has been compromised, that they’ve taken to shrugging off the problem. One woman we interviewed, who declined to have her name used, said she had received word from Bank of America, Anthem Blue Cross and UCLA Health that her most crucial personal information was among fi les that had been breached, but so far she’d noticed no ill effects. What has she done about it? “Nothing. I just hope I’m someone whose information the criminals don’t look at,” she said. Her attitude of reluctant acceptance is what sociologists call “defining deviancy down,” meaning that a society can tolerate only a certain amount of bad behavior before it has to start lowering its standards. But with 21st-century technology increasingly in the hands of criminals and data aggregators — and in the absence of laws to protect us from them — lowered standards can lead to eventual ruin, even if it takes years. One person who tried to regain her privacy and protect her personal data while remaining connected is Pulitzer Prize–winning author and journalist Julia Angwin, who wrote about her experience in CR. She writes that it wasn’t as hard as she thought it would be, although she wound up taking what some might call extreme measures because she was so disturbed by what she learned about intrusions into her privacy. First, and easiest, she writes, was securing “all the entry points to her digital domain,” which is the equivalent of locking up your house. Would you leave your house


with all doors and windows open? Among her more extreme measures, she stopped using Facebook and LinkedIn and “decided to break up with Google” when she checked her account’s privacy dashboard and learned that “Google had more intimate information about me than my closest family and friends.” She abandoned Google’s “admittedly excellent search engine” for DuckDuckGo, a tiny search engine that doesn’t track its users; she gave up Gmail and invested $200 a year in an encrypted cloud storage system. And, like the couple who paid for everything with cash, Angwin elects to do the same. “Until I can be assured how my data will be used in the future, I’m reluctant to employ it as a currency,” she says. “Instead, I choose to pay wherever possible with dollars.” In a further effort to protect details of her life online and offl ine, she created an alias and took out a credit card in her assumed name. (Perfectly legal, she writes). She also set up an Amazon account under her fake identity, along with a postal address, an email address, a cellphone and some social media accounts. What was meant to be a one-year experiment has given her so much peace of mind, she writes, that three years later she continues with most of the changes she’s made. How far will the rest of us go? CR offers 66 self-protection tips along with these five “quick tune-up” steps to help safeguard information: 1) Turn on automatic updates. Mark Surman, executive director of the Mozilla Foundation, the global nonprofi rofitt that created the Firefox web browser, compares software updates to “oil changes… They can be a hassle in the moment but a lifesaver in hindsight.” While hackers find new ways to penetrate your cyber world, security pros “play nonstop malware whacka-mole,” CR says. If your software isn’t updated, you won’t benefit from the latest protections. 2) Use screen locks on every device. Set a password or PIN — at least six characters long — for every device you own. Otherwise, if you lose them, thieves can access your email and banking and social accounts, change passwords and take over your digital life. 3) Check your data-breach status. You can find out whether your info has been hacked at haveibeenpwned.com, where you can check your email addresses and user names against lists from 120 known breaches at companies including Adobe, LinkedIn and Snapchat. If your name pops up, change the password for the compromised account and any other site where you were using the same password. 4) Use temporary email addresses. Want to avoid a lifetime of marketing emails from sites that ask for your email address? Nathan White, senior legislative manager at Access Now, a digital-rights organization, recommends 10minutemail.com, where you can get a functional email address for 10 minutes (or 20, if you need it). After that, the email address self-destructs without a trail.

5) Cover your laptop webcam. Hackers can turn on a laptop camera without the user’s knowledge, but there’s a simple fi x — cover it with tape or a Post-it. As CR puts it, “Hackers haven’t yet cracked the adhesive code.” 6) Use the HTTPS Everywhere browser extension. When you see “https” and a green padlock alongside a URL in your browser’s address bar, it means the data is encrypted as it travels back and forth between the website and your computer. Download the HTTPS Everywhere browser extension from the Electronic Frontier Foundation, and your connections will be encrypted anytime you connect to a website that supports https. It works with the Chrome, Firefox and Opera browsers. 7) Turn off location-tracking in apps. If you’re looking for a restaurant recommendation or Uber, location tracking makes sense. But don’t share your location with companies when it doesn’t benefit you. On iPhones, go to Settings, then Privacy, then Location Services. Now scroll down to any app to control if and when it can access your location. You can do the same on any Android phone running a recent version of the operating system (6.0 Marshmallow or later). Go to Settings, then Application Manager and tap on the specific app you want to adjust. Next, tap on Permissions to access the location settings. |||| 11.16 | ARROYO | 23


ARROYO HOME & DESIGN

PLAY IT AS IT LAYS – THE ART OF MATTRESS HUNTING

There are many considerations when shopping for a new mattress. Some of them may surprise you…. BY BRUCE HARING 24 2 4 | ARROYO ARRO ROY OYO | 11 11.16 .16 16 6

EV EVERYONE VER E SLEEPS. THE UNCONSCIOUS AND SEMI-CONSCIOUS STATE OF SLEEP IS MORE THAN ONE-THIRD OF OUR HUMAN STAT EXISTENCE, AND THE NEED FOR IT IS HARD-WIRED INTO OUR EXIS BODY. B OD THE LONGER AN ORGANISM IS AWAKE, THE MORE IT RUNS DOWN D OW AND NEEDS SLEEP. Given that we spend so much time catching up on this unique bodily b od function, it’s important to have an area in the home where can relax, unwind and generally prepare our bodies to enter the we c state stat te of sleep. And one of the keys to that room is the mattress and its b bedding, the area where most people choose to spend their sleeping hours. sle ee Finding something to lay on isn’t necessarily a breeze. There are all sorts of considerations, including your physical condition, preferences for firmness or softness, price of the goods, style of pref tthe th e room’s décor, the materials in the mattress, and the need or coolness. While there’s no shortage of mattress ffor or warmth w advertising, finding just the right one is as personal as your taste in adv clothing, food and home furnishings. clot Without the right fit in all of those categories, you may –continued on page 26

PHOTO: Courtesy of Samina Sleep Shop/Natural by Design of Pasadena

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT


11.16 | ARROYO | 25


—ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT—

–continued from page 24

experience sleeplessness, backaches, bad moods and other maladies. Trying out a mattress by actually going to the showroom and laying on it is one way to determine whether it’s the right one for you. Experts suggest you should try out a mattress for 20 minutes in a normal sleep position before making a decision on whether it’s the right one for you. However you choose your resting companion, keep in mind that you need to get the mattress and box spring together, and then replace them every eight years or so. So anticipate that you’ll have to make the trek to the mattress store at least three to four times in your lifetime. Denise Pummer, the Marketing Director for Samina Sleep Shop/ Natural by Design of Pasadena, says a potential mattress purchaser should ask some basic questions before buying – “Are the materials it’s made of beneficial to health or harmful? What benefits does the bed give you? Does it provide circulatory relief or perhaps cause you harm?” Samina takes its sleep seriously. It was founded overseas by a sleep psychologist and health expert who developed a concept to support healthy sleep, drawing on his expertise in sleep biology, psychology, medicine and orthopedics, plus a healthy respect for natural materials. The Pasadena location is the official North American distributor for the products that are part of the “Samina Sleep System,” a unified field of products and mattresses designed to induce healthy sleep. Pummer claimed that a lot of mattresses contain unhealthy materials, which, given the close contact between sleeper and –continued on page 31

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11.16 | ARROYO | 27


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30 | ARROYO | 11.16


—ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT—

–continued from page 26

mattress, could affect your health. “A lot (of mattresses) are made from polyurethane, synthetic materials, petrochemicals, and flame retardants that we’ve discovered are harmful to human health,” she says. “Even goose down is electrostatic and retains moisture, which, over long-term use, can contribute to bacteria, mildew and mold. The common source of that is, unfortunately, a bed.” With Samina, the mattress is designed with “breathable materials. It’s a very unique design which permits air flow throughout the bed and prevents moisture from being trapped,” Pummer says. The Samina mattresses are designed in layers “like the human body. You need an orthopedic layer, back support, a layer that helps with circulation throughout your body.” And in order to maintain absolute comfort, the mattress also helps with “heat and sweating – it helps wick moisture away so you wake up dry.” In addition to healthy mattresses, Samina sells bedding and accessories that aid the organically minded in achieving sleep nirvana. The pillows and duvets “have an EMF grounding pad” that stops the distortions of earth’s magnetic field, a force which can interrupt Circadian rhythms, Pummer says. The Samina customers are primarily concerned with their health, and highly value the non-toxic materials in the company’s offerings. “They’re people who have a reason to get up in the morning,” says Pummer. They have big jobs, big careers, big aspirations, and their sleep is vital to their success.” –continued on page 33

11.16 | ARROYO | 31


32 | ARROYO | 11.16


PHOTO: Courtesy of Palmpring USA

—ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT—

–continued from page 31

COCONUT FIBER SPRINGS Also advocating natural mattresses is Camilla Kim, the CEO of Palmpring USA, a mattress and bedding company which has its head office in Pasadena. The company was founded in South Korea in 1995 by a man who believed that green products were going to be the wave of the future. While working at a fabric company, he conceived of the idea to replace a mattresses’ metal springs by using coconut fiber (called coir), coating the coils with natural latex derived from rubber trees to give the fiber a spring-like function. Thus was born Palmpring’s signature “sandwich style,” where one layer of coconut fiber alternates with a layer of natural latex. Kim claims her products are “organic, but we’re all about comfort. Not only are we 100 percent organic and antimicrobial, but our mattresses are incredibly comfortable and provide head-to-toe support.” The key to Palmpring mattresses is that they are free of toxins. “There have been many technologies introduced (to mattresses),” says Kim, noting cool gels among them. “Consumers are paying more for bells and whistles. But what they don’t realize is that the chemical smell coming from their new mattress is “off gassing,” which is potentially toxic and destructive to health.” Most memory-foam mattresses deliver such gases, Kim claims, a problem that may cause “untold health problems.” Buying a mattress is “a 10-year investment in your health,” says Kim, noting that sleep studies indicate that sleep deprivation caused by a poor night’s sleep can cause poor cognition, weight gain and may be a precursor to Alzheimer’s disease. How do you know when it’s time to buy a new mattress? Experts claims that waking up with lower back pain that goes away within 10 minutes after some stretching is a sign that it’s time to start considering a new sleep companion (the mattress, not your spouse!) One key to mattress buying that may be overlooked – take your own pillow to the store! After all, it’s as much a part of your sleep experience as the materials you lay on. By duplicating as much as possible your own sleep experience, you’ll better your odds on picking the right mattress for your sleeping needs. Good luck on your mattress search and sleep tight.|||| 11.16 | ARROYO | 33


34 | ARROYO | 11.16


arroyo

~HOM E SALES I N D EX~

9.33% ALHAMBRA ALHAMBRA (NEW) Homes Homes Sold Sold Median Price Price Median Median Sq. Ft. Ft. Median Sq. ALTADENA Homes Sold Median Price Median Sq. Ft. ARCADIA Homes Sold Median Price Median Sq. Ft. EAGLE ROCK Homes Sold Median Price Median Sq. Ft. GLENDALE Homes Sold Median Price Median Sq. Ft. LA CAÑADA Homes Sold Median Price Median Sq. Ft. PASADENA Homes Sold Median Price Median Sq. Ft. SAN MARINO Homes Sold Median Price Median Sq. Ft. SIERRA MADRE Homes Sold Median Price Median Sq. Ft. SOUTH PASADENA Homes Sold Median Price Median Sq. Ft. TOTAL Homes Sold Avg Price/Sq. Ft.

SEP. ’15 ’15 SEP. N/A n/a N/A n/a N/A n/a SEP. ’15 44 $632,500 1516 SEP. ’15 21 $875,000 1978 SEP. ’15 16 $709,500 1540 SEP. ’15 112 $627,000 1615 SEP. ’15 18 $1,304,250 2068 SEP. ’15 150 $651,000 1393 SEP. ’15 3 $2,118,000 2241 SEP. ’15 11 $726,000 1756 SEP. ’15 24 $1,003,750 1764 SEP. ’15 399 $525

SEP. ’16 SEP.’16 23 549000 $498,750 1435 1320 SEP. ’16 35 $739,000 1750 SEP. ’16 35 $1,260,000 2188 SEP. ’16 10 $727,500 1661 SEP. ’16 91 $680,000 1495 SEP. ’16 19 $1,600,000 2304 SEP. ’16 127 $705,000 1503 SEP. ’16 10 $2,054,250 2573 SEP. ’16 8 $1,078,000 1822 SEP. ’16 14 $929,500 1476 SEP. ’16 349 $574

HOMES SOLD

2016

349

AVG. PRICE/SQ. FT.

2015

sep.

HOMES SOLD

-12.53%

sep.

399

HOME SALES

HOME SALES ABOVE RECENT HOME CLOSINGS IN THE PASADENA WEEKLY FOOTPRINT

ADDRESS CLOSE DATE ALHAMBRA 100 North Fremont Ave. 09/06/16 09/02/16 411 Cynthia Street 417 North Story Place 09/28/16 819 North Dos Robles Place 09/30/16 606 North Curtis Ave. 09/01/16 ALTADENA 1159 East Altadena Drive 09/30/16 09/20/16 3756 Sunset Ridge Road 2966 Zane Grey Terrace 09/13/16 1965 East Altadena Drive 09/06/16 2152 Roosevelt Ave. 09/01/16 716 West Owen Court 09/07/16 1911 Pepper Drive 09/07/16 2660 Santa Anita Ave. 09/30/16 ARCADIA 1668 Highland Oaks Drive 09/23/16 09/30/16 1303 Oakwood Drive 1705 South Santa Anita Ave. 09/02/16 801 Kaitlyn Place 09/15/16 2506 South 2nd Ave. 09/23/16 1225 Oaklawn Road 09/23/16 1861 Alta Oaks Drive 09/19/16 2018 Elkins Place 09/23/16 49 West Orange Grove Ave. 09/30/16 1821 Oakwood Ave. 09/27/16 1832 Chantry Drive 09/21/16 340 Genoa Street 09/06/16 338 Genoa Street 09/01/16 566 South 2nd Ave. 09/20/16 518 South 2nd Ave. 09/21/16 1672 Oakwood Ave. 09/01/16 1672 Oakwood Ave. 09/01/16 516 South 2nd Ave. 09/13/16 859 West Foothill Blvd. 09/23/16 152 Altern Street 09/14/16 166 West Grandview Ave. 09/15/16 1302 South 3rd Ave. 09/30/16 401 East Lemon Ave. 09/08/16 165 East Magna Vista Ave. 09/13/16 525 East Lemon Ave. 09/23/16 08/11/19984984 Vincent Ave. 08/01/16 5308 Live Oak View Ave. 08/16/16 4834 Ray Court 08/10/16 1819 Fair Park Ave. 08/10/16 EAGLE ROCK 1727 Hill Drive 09/30/16 GLENDALE 801 Cumberland Road 09/27/16 09/28/16 2136 Camino San Rafael 1920 Calle Dulce 09/06/16 1363 Norton Ave. 09/29/16 2323 Blanchard Drive 09/27/16 2012 East Glenoaks Blvd. 09/01/16 1032 Calle Contento 09/06/16 1850 Verdugo Knolls Drive 09/21/16 3145 Kirkham Drive 09/08/16 843 Moorside Drive 09/19/16 716 Cumberland Road 09/22/16 2668 Sleepy Hollow Place 09/21/16 1648 Idlewood Road 09/22/16 1915 Niodrara Drive 09/23/16 971 Kirkton Place 09/30/16 507 Grove Place 09/30/16 2617 Sleepy Hollow Place 09/20/16 1741 Chevy Knoll Drive 09/16/16 3555 Henrietta Ave. 09/14/16 451 Nolan Ave. 09/26/16 118 South Kenwood Street #505 09/21/16

PRICE

source: CalREsource

BDRMS.

SQ. FT.

YR. BUILT PREV. PRICE

$1,350,000 $945,000 $830,000 $788,000 $750,000

4 2 3 5 3

2838 1960 1639 2195 1558

1940 1950 1925 1910 1938

$949,000 $659,000

07/09/2015 05/07/2004

$245,000 $687,500

06/21/1990 12/30/2014

$1,600,000 $1,380,000 $1,365,000 $1,275,000 $1,252,000 $1,220,000 $950,000 $950,000

6 5 3 4 3 5 4 3

4213 3886 2303 2376 2083 3311 1789 1703

1913 1999 1963 1926 1939 1997 1926 1965

$1,085,000 $1,050,000 $387,000 $1,035,000 $860,000

11/22/2011 07/31/2003 05/29/1998 09/20/2005 04/11/2003

$780,000 $717,000

01/14/2014 12/09/2013

$3,680,000 $2,480,000 $2,380,000 $2,342,000 $1,972,500 $1,950,000 $1,850,000 $1,780,000 $1,768,000 $1,668,000 $1,405,000 $1,285,000 $1,280,000 $1,280,000 $1,280,000 $1,263,000 $1,263,000 $1,260,000 $1,250,000 $1,188,000 $1,150,000 $1,129,000 $898,000 $890,000 $877,000 $1,149,000 $951,545 $917,000 $901,000

3 5 5 5 5 2 5 4 3 3 3 5 5 0 3 4 4 3 4 3 3 3 2 3 2 3 3 3 3

2576 3900 5419 4241 7157 2595 3079 3040 1994 2864 2293 2726 2726 0 2200 2844 2844 2470 2645 2176 2122 1823 1228 1854 1306 1364 2034 1708 1975

1953 1925 2013 2011 1992 1951 1952 1955 1938 1950 1957 2015 2015

$1,399,000 $1,275,000 $790,000

07/24/2013 05/14/2003 08/19/2011

$1,773,000

01/21/2005

$722,500

04/17/2003

$1,050,000

01/02/2009

$500,000 $500,000

03/29/2002 03/29/2002

$110,000

03/28/1990

$330,000 $805,000

07/29/2014

$620,000 $295,455

04/30/2008 07/24/2003

$1,600,000

5

3417

1937

$437,000

02/25/1988

$1,650,000 $1,448,000 $1,425,000 $1,410,000 $1,325,000 $1,315,000 $1,255,000 $1,201,000 $1,180,000 $1,160,000 $1,158,500 $1,125,000 $1,115,000 $1,115,000 $1,100,000 $1,070,000 $1,045,000 $1,025,000 $979,000 $960,000 $899,000

5 4 5 4 4 3 4 3 4 3 6 4 4 3 4 3 3 4 3 3 0

3150 2822 3700 3615 2790 1549 2984 2588 2520 2646 3104 3100 3413 2228 2393 2903 2530 2600 2302 3050 0

1933 1983 1993 1988 1938 1940 1990 1924 1968 1979 1926 1969 1924 1939 1965 2009 1967 1964 1958 1980

$1,057,500 $950,000 $870,000

07/02/2004 06/03/2002 12/23/2011

$419,500

06/27/1997

$534,000 $325,000

07/30/1999 09/15/1994

$245,000 $255,000

06/19/1979 09/18/1986

$377,000 $698,000 $940,000 $780,000 $330,000

06/02/1995 11/15/2002 12/20/2006 06/23/2009 06/16/1994

$712,000 $280,000

07/26/2012 10/22/1986

2015 1951 1951 2015 1962 1960 1958 1954 1948 1960 1952 1916 1921 1947 1924

PREV. SOLD

–continued on page 36

The Arroyo Home Sales Index is calculated from residential home sales in Pasadena and the surrounding communities of South Pasadena, San Marino, La Canada Flintridge, Eagle Rock, Glendale (including Montrose), Altadena, Sierra Madre, Arcadia and Alhambra. Individual home sales data provided by CalREsource. Arroyo Home Sales Index © Arroyo 2016. Complete home sales listings appear each week in Pasadena Weekly.

11.16 ARROYO | 35


–continued from page 35 ADDRESS CLOSE DATE GLENDALE 3850 El Moreno Street 09/13/16 222 Monterey Road #1306 09/28/16 501 Woodbury Road 09/07/16 1336 Oak Circle Drive 09/01/16 1346 Moncado Drive 09/27/16 720 West California Ave. 09/28/16 LA CAÑADA 567 Meadow Grove Street 09/20/16 555 Meadow Grove Street 09/20/16 5347 Vista Lejana Lane 09/30/16 463 Richmond Road #108 09/27/16 4271 Oakwood Ave. 09/08/16 887 St. Katherine Drive 09/28/16 5081 Fallhaven Lane 09/16/16 5010 Jarvis Ave. 09/20/16 5156 Vista Miguel Drive 09/19/16 4295 Mesa Vista Drive 09/15/16 4841 Crown Ave. 09/27/16 5650 Bramblewood Road 09/30/16 1104 Descanso Drive 09/22/16 1114 Uintah Street 09/27/16 1027 Flanders Road 09/02/16 5640 Stardust Road 09/21/16 4631 Rockland Place 09/14/16 2237 San Gorgonio Road 09/01/16 PASADENA 999 South San Rafael Ave. 09/07/16 500 South San Rafael Ave. 09/30/16 553 Woodward Blvd. 09/01/16 490 La Loma Road 09/26/16 506 North Wilson Ave. 09/21/16 10 Los Altos Drive 09/07/16 851 Vallombrosa Drive 09/26/16 595 Linda Vista Ave. 09/21/16 2040 Glen Springs Road 09/30/16 1179 Romney Drive 09/29/16 646 Old Mill Road 09/19/16 140 Glen Summer Road 09/26/16 670 South Marengo Ave. 09/22/16 591 Arbor Street 09/13/16 2660 San Pasqual Street 09/02/16 250 South De Lacey Ave. #208A 09/13/16 1045 Locust Street 09/09/16 454 Woodward Blvd. 09/22/16 319 Linda Rosa Ave. 09/22/16 1999 East Mountain Street 09/30/16 700 East Union Street #210 09/01/16 24 Oak Knoll Gardens Drive 09/27/16 1390 Cresthaven Drive 09/23/16 1147 Wotkyns Drive 09/23/16 2725 Madrillo Court 09/22/16 2320 Lambert Drive 09/13/16 755 South Los Robles Ave. 09/23/16 342 West Bellevue Drive 09/30/16 3555 New Haven Road 09/07/16 888 South Orange Grove Blvd. #1W 09/27/16 1540 Lancashire Street 09/01/16 1595 Monte Vista Street 09/02/16 2789 Madera Drive 09/07/16 1223 Linda Vista Ave. 09/13/16 844 North Holliston Ave. 09/14/16 61 North Parkwood Ave. 09/21/16 380 South Orange Grove Blvd. #11 09/16/16 3690 Mayfair Drive 09/28/16 3750 Landfair Road 09/06/16 1017 North Chester Ave. 09/12/16 840 East Green Street #222 09/23/16 181 Malcolm Drive 09/16/16 2158 East Mountain Street 09/15/16 866 Adelaide Drive 09/01/16 1054 Worcester Ave. 09/30/16 404 South San Gabriel Blvd. 09/16/16 SAN MARINO 1345 Bedford Road 09/01/16 2860 Gainsborough Drive 09/01/16 1240 San Marino Ave. 09/22/16 2320 Cumberland Road 09/22/16 549 San Marino Ave. 09/29/16 4150 Monterey Road 09/19/16 2405 South Oak Knoll Ave. 09/30/16 2370 Monterey Road 09/15/16 1725 South Euclid Ave. 09/12/16 1885 South Euclid Ave. 09/26/16 SIERRA MADRE 601 East Orange Grove Ave. 09/30/16 526 Camillo Road 09/20/16 607 East Grandview Ave. 09/20/16 655 Oak Crest Drive 09/06/16 137 West Montecito Ave. 09/16/16 377 North Lima Street 09/26/16 SOUTH PASADENA 401 Oaklawn Ave. 09/30/16 1116 Milan Ave. 09/13/16 1920 Edgewood Drive 09/22/16 820 Mission Street #100 09/20/16 850 Garfield Ave. 09/27/16 1844 Monterey Road 09/29/16 82 Pinecrest Drive 09/30/16 323 Monterey Road 09/12/16 36 | ARROYO | 11.16

PRICE

BDRMS.

SQ. FT.

YR. BUILT PREV. PRICE

$897,000 $880,000 $875,000 $859,000 $857,000 $850,000

5 3 3 2 4 4

2192 2171 2871 1453 1609 1736

1953 1982 1927 1948 1929 1923

$5,000,000 $3,160,000 $2,685,000 $2,675,000 $2,185,000 $1,963,000 $1,900,000 $1,880,000 $1,725,000 $1,600,000 $1,555,000 $1,550,000 $1,349,000 $1,330,000 $1,302,500 $1,183,500 $975,000 $960,000

7 6 4 5 3 3 3 4 2 3 4 4 3 3 3 3 4 3

8005 5149 3858 4940 2437 2483 2640 2727 1964 2304 2468 2283 1781 1904 1299 1659 2272 1846

$4,963,000 $4,380,000 $3,250,000 $2,600,000 $2,500,000 $2,127,500 $1,945,000 $1,850,000 $1,798,000 $1,750,000 $1,739,500 $1,605,000 $1,575,000 $1,430,000 $1,380,000 $1,325,000 $1,280,000 $1,250,000 $1,220,000 $1,210,000 $1,200,000 $1,200,000 $1,175,000 $1,165,000 $1,140,000 $1,125,000 $1,110,000 $1,105,000 $1,075,000 $1,035,000 $1,021,500 $1,000,000 $1,000,000 $990,000 $979,000 $960,000 $930,000 $900,000 $890,000 $885,000 $875,000 $875,000 $870,000 $867,000 $860,000 $858,000

7 5 6 2 4 4 3 5 3 3 3 2 4 3 4 3 2 4 5 4 3 3 3 3 3 3 7 3 3 3 4 3 4 3 3 4 3 3 2 3 2 3 3 3 6 3

$4,100,000 $3,700,000 $3,528,000 $2,438,000 $2,128,500 $1,980,000 $1,813,000 $1,500,000 $1,418,000 $1,405,000

PREV. SOLD

$435,000 $876,000 $745,000 $654,000 $439,000

04/16/1990 04/20/2005 07/17/2007 02/17/2009 02/20/2003

1962 1925 1964 1998 1963 1961 1951 1938 1950 1950 1949 1966 1951 1950 1951 1958 1955 1955

$2,310,000 $1,900,000 $2,125,000 $1,725,000

04/19/2005 05/05/2010 10/15/2014 07/03/2012

$85,000

07/08/1970

$569,000 $675,000

04/04/2001 06/12/2002

$1,260,000

05/15/2015

$225,000 $390,000

12/20/1995 10/08/1992

6689 4560 5953 2137 1608 2609 2508 3131 3679 2113 1815 1259 2689 2159 3032 1870 1170 2135 1810 3156 2090 1466 1636 1797 2228 2024 2450 2117 2124 2725 2208 1635 2612 1251 1550 2349 2073 1750 1427 1768 1516 1612 1676 1559 2752 1525

1912 1928 2012 1967 1922 1922 1952 1955 1997 1953 1937 1950 1936 1960 1923 2007 1939 1937 1959 1931 2006 1921 1958 1951 1951 1949 1909 1973 1950 1960 1963 1965 2010 1946 1921 1920 1965 1950 1949 1942 2006 1951 1929 1929 1906 1940

$2,500,020 $2,950,000 $882,000 $2,100,000 $1,988,000 $1,868,000 $135,000 $1,595,000 $1,100,000 $1,210,000 $727,500 $717,500 $4,250,000

08/10/2001 09/28/2012 05/13/2009 07/31/2013 05/22/2013 01/15/2015 09/24/1976 05/30/2008 04/16/2003 06/24/2008 08/17/2001 04/02/2013 12/07/2015

$392,000 $1,195,000 $132,000

06/09/1994 03/24/2015 03/30/1983

$995,000 $612,000 $1,125,000 $815,000 $450,000 $366,000 $538,500 $837,500

06/22/2016 01/04/2001 07/12/2007 10/09/2013 05/01/2003 03/30/2000 04/09/2002 08/14/2009

$425,000 $550,000 $525,000

03/29/1996 12/07/2012 12/16/2011

$660,000 $870,000 $685,000 $392,000 $910,000 $375,000 $490,000

02/11/2016 04/07/2011 05/16/2011 07/26/2001 07/10/2015 08/02/2001 04/01/2009

$245,000 $1,000,000

05/20/1999 07/11/2007

$646,500 $390,000 $675,000 $663,000

03/16/2012 08/07/1998 08/13/2014 11/20/2013

4 3 3 4 4 4 3 2 4 4

4075 1642 3448 2963 3096 2875 2235 1435 2271 2076

1941 1938 1951 1930 1926 1951 1938 1925 1928 1953

$909,000 $1,335,000 $2,200,000 $660,000 $1,308,000 $1,028,000 $990,000 $400,000

03/27/1998 10/26/2012 05/30/2014 02/22/1999 04/29/2009 07/05/2002 03/04/2004 11/16/1988

$225,000

08/22/1986

$2,075,000 $1,625,000 $1,200,000 $1,150,000 $1,006,000 $921,000

5 6 3 3 3 2

3270 3468 1771 2261 1558 1556

1950 1967 1947 1976 1908 1912

$210,000 $700,000 $190,500 $778,000

09/22/1980 02/11/2004 01/07/2005 11/03/2011

$789,000

07/27/2007

$2,795,000 $1,950,000 $1,880,000 $1,479,500 $1,210,500 $1,065,000 $934,000 $925,000

5 4 4 0 3 4 3 4

4694 2422 2524 0 1476 2034 2125 2869

1908 1923 1924

$807,500 $1,295,000

09/27/1989 09/18/2009

1911 1913 1947 1928

$280,000

07/28/1994

$202,000

02/19/1988


11.16 | ARROYO | 37


38 | ARROYO | 11.16


SANTA ANITA PARK GOES HIGH-TECH The Arcadia racetrack ups the stakes with the latest technology, including betting from smartphones. BY BRENDA REES

BOTH BEHIND THE SCENES AND AT A PATRON’S FINGERTIPS, THE LATEST INNOVATIONS AT SANTA ANITA PARK CAN MAKE A DAY AT THE

PHOTOS: Courtesy of Santa Anita Park

RACES SAFER FOR HORSES AS WELL AS EASIER AND MORE COMFORTABLE FOR TRACKGOERS. PROFITABLE? WELL, THAT’S UP TO YOU.

11.16 | ARROYO | 39


–continued from page 21

Santa Anita command central

The racetrack recently installed a security system that raises the bar on safety: the new video surveillance apparatus will closely monitor the track’s entire stable area 24/7. Santa Anita installed the system in time for the high-profile Breeders’ Cup World Championships on Nov. 4 and 5; while the glitterati are partying in the grandstand and suites, camera operators will be stationed deep inside command central, controlling 1,000 high-def video cameras positioned at shed rows and stall doors. They’ll be able to zoom in at up to 25 times for super-enhanced detail as they keep watch on stable happenings involving trainers, horses and jockeys. Each camera’s video footage will be stored and available for review if the need arises. This state-of-the-art system is the first of its kind and the most comprehensive racetrack security network in North America, according to the park. The goal? To make sure no intruders enter the stable area, no horses are fed performance enhancers and all safety rules are observed. Santa Anita Chairman Keith Brackpool calls it “a proactive investment on our part, to ensure the continued safety of almost 2,000 horses living in our stable area while maintaining the highest standards of transparency in our industry.” Perhaps the most intriguing innovation at Santa Anita is mobile betting, the ability to wager from the convenience of your own seat using a smartphone. No more getting 40 | ARROYO AR ARROY ROYO O | 11 11.16 .16 16

up to place or collect bets, fighting the last-minute crowds at the betting windows or lining up at the self-wagering kiosks. Betting is all done with a point and press. Mobile betting technology has been around the racetrack in beta form for about three years, with patrons logging into their on-track wager account — which can only be accessed when connected to the park’s WiFi. In order to bet on a mobile device, you must be physically at Santa Anita and not at another racetrack or authorized offtrack betting location. Mobile betting is the racetrack’s latest enticement aimed at millennials, joining an outreach program that includes craft-beer festivals, infield radio concerts and culinary cookouts. For a sport struggling with attendance issues, enticing tech-minded youth may be a ticket to survival. “The initial focus here is on the younger fans for this product,” says Andrew Arthur, Santa Anita’s director of new media, noting that traditional racetrack patrons are habitually slow adaptors when it comes to new technology. It took a long time for patrons to use the self-service kiosks when they were introduced in the late 1980s, Arthur says. “Now, the majority of bettors use the machine rather than stand in line for a live teller,” he says. “We think that kind of slow transition may be the same with mobile wagering for our older patrons, but we think younger guests will take to it immediately.”

PHOTOS: PH PHO OTOS TOS: Cour C Courtesy ourtes tesyy ooff S Santa anta ant t a Anit A Anita nitaa Park Park

–continued –c cont ntinu inued ed fro from m page page 39


When the winter season kicks off Dec. 26, expect to see more emphasis on the Bet With Me program, which may be a first step in introducing possibly hesitant patrons to the joys of mobile wagering. Trackgoers purchase a Bet With Me pre-loaded card for a specific amount ($10, $20, $50, $100), log in with an account number and activate via a PIN number — then sit back with a drink as they metaphorically kick off their shoes and bet from their seats. Wagering Ambassadors wearing red suspenders will patrol the facility like the Pied Pipers of betting, selling preloaded cards and demonstrating how to use them to wager by smartphone. Santa Anita officials hope the Bet With Me program will be a step toward an even more sophisticated platform. Arthur explains that a new mobile app in the works may appear in mid-2017. “But we don’t want to have an app for the sake of having an app,” he stresses. “We want to make sure we get it right.” The app will also feature customer loyalty programs that offer rewards and special promotions designed to lure you to the racetrack or pop up the moment you arrive. “We want to reward people who come to the track often,” he says. The biggest challenge for tech designers is that all mobile wagering — whether using a preloaded card or a fine-tuned app — requires WiFi connectivity. So Arthur says his team is working on creating a flawless WiFi infrastructure that won’t sud–continued on page 42 11.16 | ARROYO | 41


–continued from page 41

denly drop when you are in the middle of placing a potentially good bet. To reach all of Santa Anita’s 320 acres — both indoors and out — numerous wireless towers and commercial access points have been added and are continually being tested and tweaked. Meanwhile, patrons will find other new high-tech additions throughout the 1930s Art Deco facility. No one will be far away from the thrill of the race, now that 2,000 giant flat-screen HDTV monitors have been installed throughout the grandstand and clubhouses. (Certain outdoor infield locations will still keep the older tube models because of weather.) The new monitors are enhanced with a theater-style audio system that adds to the experience of being up-close on the track, says Arthur, adding that the sound is also undergoing constant refinements and upgrades. “Sound is another challenge because we have to cover a large area; and we are not just simple stadium seating,” he says. “But every year, we’re getting better and better.” |||| Santa Anita Park is located at 285 W. Huntington Dr., Arcadia. Visit santaanita.com for racing schedules and other information.

For new racetrack patrons, understanding the wagering system takes a little getting used to. Betting to win, place or show is fairly easy to grasp, but adding the concepts of daily exacta, super trifecta, boxing bets, quinellas and baseballing may make some heads spin. Now there’s another wagering platform on the horizon that may see those heads spin even faster. Exchange wagering, which has been available in Europe for about 15 years, presents virtually unlimited options for potentially profitable predictions. Current parimutuel betting requires players to make their bets without knowing what their final odds will be; exchange wagering is similar to sports betting, making it possible to take fixed odds that are locked in at the time of the bettor’s transaction or ask for better odds than those on the exchange. It also opens up the ability to bet on a horse (or bet against a horse) during the running of a race, laying down money while the race is under way or even cashing in your bet at any point in the race. It’s a brave new world. The concept was introduced by Paddy Power Betfair, a public online gambling company that pioneered the betting exchange in the United Kingdom and averages more than 3 million transactions worldwide each day. Through its subsidiary Betfair U.S.A., the company touts exchange wagering as a way to entice new techsavvy fans in this country. Currently, New Jersey and California are the only two states to pass laws allowing the operation of betting exchanges. California continues to hammer out regulatory policies on how to manage it; there is strong opposition from horsemen’s groups and some racetrack operators, including Stronach Group, Santa Anita’s Canadian parent company, which worries the new wagering system could cut into profits. Mike Rogers, president of Stronach’s racetrack division, told The New York Times earlier this year that exchange wagering has “integrity issues… and…allows a customer to bet a horse to lose, and we are still concerned about the current economics being returned to the industry.” At present, bettors can try their hand at exchange wagering only if they are New Jersey residents physically located within the state’s borders. —B.R. 42 | ARROYO | 11.16

PHOTO: Courtesy of Santa Anita Park

NO EXCHANGE WAGERING AT SANTA ANITA…YET


11.16 | ARROYO | 43


44 | ARROYO | 11.16


GADGETS

Cutting-edge tech that will change your life. BY IRENE LACHER

TOURING THEATER

SNAP DECISION Polaroid launched its latest turbo-charged digital camera at Photokina 2016 in Cologne, Germany, in September — the Polaroid Snap Touch. The just-released model builds on the Polaroid Snap’s nifty ability to shoot and produce 2-by-3inch Zink Zero Ink photos, using an integrated printer, in “just under a minute.” The Snap Touch introduces features like a 3.5-inch touchscreen and Bluetooth capability for wireless printing from your smartphone. It’s also loaded with a selfie mirror and timer, 1080p/720p video, burst and photobooth modes, a mike and a speaker. The Snap Touch goes for $179.99. Visit polaroidsnapcamera.com or amazon.com.

The Royale X headset is billed as the world’s first foldable virtual-reality mobile theater for movie-watching and game-playing. The screen boasts 3,300 pixels per inch — 10 times greater resolution than smartphones —- and you can minimize motion sickness and eye fatigue (common problems with VR) with adjustable optical power and pupillary distance controls. Royale says the audio fidelity is professional quality, and the noise reduction capacity an impressive 22 decibels. It comes in red, white and black for $699. The 3D version goes for $799. Visit royale.com.

HOME BREW The Pico lends new meaning to the trendy term “microbrewery.” You can sample the wares of local beer brewers around the country — even the world — from the comfort of your own kitchen with this automated appliance described as “the Keurig of home brewing.” Pop in a PicoPak of B-52 Blonde or Pale Hoppy Thing, and two hours later, help yourself to five liters of custom suds. The Pico, born on Kickstarter, launches on retail sites this month for $799, which includes one PicoPak of your choice. Available online through Amazon, Sur La Table and Bloomingdales. Visit picobrew.com.

11.16 | ARROYO | 45


WINE BY THE GLASS No more wine lost after languishing in the fridge because all you wanted was a glass. Now you can have your glass — and not drink the bottle too — with the Coravin. Described by The New York Times as resembling “a combination microscope, drill press and pistol,” the Coravin Wine System enables you to pour a glass without opening the bottle. How? You insert a long hollow needle through the cork, allowing the Coravin to pump in harmless argon gas, which forces the displaced wine back up the needle, protecting the rest from air exposure. The Coravin comes in three models ranging from $199.95 to $299.95. Available online or at Pasadena’s Sur La Table, 161 W. Colorado Blvd., and BevMo!, 885 S. Arroyo Parkway. Visit coravin.com.

DON’T LEAVE OM WITHOUT IT

SNOOP (ON YOUR) DOG While you’re busy smartening up your home and your phone and your watch, don’t forget Fido. Strap on a snazzy WonderWoof BowTie — it comes in six colors, from Bad to the Bone Orange to Barktic Blue — so you can tell whether your pup is sleeping, walking, playing or running. The bowtie attaches to your dog’s collar, calculates her exercise needs and calibrates a simple “bones” reward mechanism on the app’s homepage — each bone represents 10 percent of her recommended daily activity, and each day’s goal is to earn 10. The app even enables you to connect to a doggy social network and find your dog’s “tribe” —- the best potential puppy pals — in your neighborhood. The WonderWoof BowTie sells for $95. And no caterwauling, cat lovers. The company promises WonderMeow for 2017. Visit wonderwoof.com.

46 | ARROYO | 11.16

Don’t leave sharp fitness-tracking duds to the dogs, ladies — the smartbra is here. The new OMbra has embedded sensors that monitor your heart rate and breathing; the OMbox, which clips onto the OMbra, streams the data via Bluetooth to your iPhone. Then the OMrun app calculates your individual ventilatory and anaerobic thresholds, so it can guide you to run within your personal Smart Zone, where you burn more fat while reducing the risk of injuries. All done? OMrun gives you a detailed report on your run, measuring pace, distance, calories burned, cadence, breathing rhythm and stride length. The starter kit with the OMbra and the OMbox costs $169. Visit omsignal.com.

CLOTHES, AMERICAN STYLE Skip a trip to the dry cleaner with the new LG Styler, which picked up a Consumer Electronics Show Innovation Award earlier this year. It’s a cabinet with steam and “gently moving” hangers that reduce wrinkles and odors, freshening your clothes between dry cleanings. A Sanitary cycle lessens allergens in clothes, bedding, even baby’s plush toys, and a low-temperature drying system dries delicates faster than air-drying. A special compartment even restores pants creases. It’s almost like having a butler in your closet (and practically as expensive). The LG Styler retails for $1,999.99. Visit bestbuy.com, amazon.com or ajmadison.com.


TOMORROWLAND FUTURE BOT The tech media’s opinion of the Segway Robot was unanimous when the personal prototype debuted at CES in Las Vegas earlier this year — it’s adorable! Perhaps even R2D2 adorable, but sleeker. It “sees” — with its Intel RealSense camera sporting two big “eyes,” the robot has the capacity for facial recognition and, much like your cat, person tracking. It “speaks” — in English or Mandarin, your choice. It “walks” — either with you or without you. It “thinks” — with the help of an Intel Atom Processor. And, best of all, it helps around the house, providing security monitoring, elderly care and more. Segway says it will release it to consumers in 2017. Join the wait list at robot.segway.com.

THE VEST IS YET TO COME Soon downhill skiers (who arguably need it even more) will be able to benefit from airbag protection similar to the kind motorists enjoy. The French company In & Emotion has developed a Ski Airbag Vest that inflates on impact, protecting your chest, spine and abdomen, using a rechargeable pack with a gyroscope embedded in the back of the vest. When a skier is about to take a bad fall, a small gas cylinder is immediately triggered, inflating the vest, while two L-shaped straps protrude to protect your hips. It’s expected to cost $1,200 when it hits the market — but then a wipeout could be far more costly. Visit inemotion.com for updates.

DO NOT TOUCH BMW is raising the self-driving–car game with its i Vision Future Interaction concept car. It offers three driving modes — including one using BMW’s AirTouch technology, with a 21-inch display screen on top of the dashboard, which enables the driver to control navigation, entertainment and connectivity — all with a mere wave of a hand. The ultimate destination? Vision Zero — accident-free mobility. Visit bmwblog.com for updates.

11.16 | ARROYO | 47


KITCHEN CONFESSIONS

HOT SAUCE LIFE LESSONS YOU THINK MULTICULTURALISM HAD A HARD TIME IN ELECTION SEASON? TRY THE DINNER PLATE. BY LESLIE BILDERBACK

A

fter my hot-sauce festival expedition last month I started reading the new Hot Sauce Nation: America’s Burning Obsession (Chicago Review Press) by Denver Nicks. What I thought would be the usual explanation of Scoville heat units with a quirky anecdote or two about obsessed chile-heads actually became poignantly thought-provoking. Nicks meanders through Oaxaca, medieval Europe, post-punk London, New York’s Explorers Club and everywhere in between, introducing the history and evolution of heat-loving cuisines around the world. He also connects the dots between increased immigration from developing countries in the late 1960s and the boom of international cuisines available to Americans today, all of which incorporate a chile-based spicy element. As I read about immigration, my current-event warning buzzer went off. The Immigration Act of 1965 encouraged a flood of both legal and illegal migrants. Thanks to it, our culturally mixed society became more diverse, and more culinarily delightful. It was a boon for everyone who likes good food. So you can imagine how shocked I was to learn that a “taco truck on every corner” was meant as an ominous threat, and not a campaign promise. Anyone who enjoys food knows that a mix of cultures is like a blend of spices — it makes life more delicious. Theref ore, if I find that you are trying to limit my deliciousness by, say, building a wall, I’m going to ask you to take a seat. The story of hot sauce is one of ethnic inclusiveness, and it perfectly illustrates how cultural exchange makes life better. The earliest archaeological record of human chile consumption comes from southern Mexico around 6000 BC. Native traders probably brought it north, and to the Caribbean, but the largest dissemination of capsicum was through colonization. Columbus brought chiles to Spain, where they spread across Europe. The Portuguese picked up the baton and took them to Africa, India and East Asia. The Turks brought them to the Balkans. The Hungarians caught a whiff and created paprika. Before this chile pandemic, the only heat in food came from black pepper, which is positively wimpy in comparison. The entire world appropriated the chile faster than chocolate, the tomato or the turkey. Through the trade of food, numerous cultures share not only ingredients, but culinary sensibilities. In Oaxaca, though, the reverse also took place. The highly spiced multi-ingredient sauces that earned Oaxaca the nickname “land of the seven moles” are really a mixture of both Old- and New-World foods. So mole, the thing that was probably the very first hot sauce (although it is not technically a condiment, as hot sauce is used today) was really an early example of fluid cultural exchange. It didn’t take long for Americans to appropriate the hot sauce idea. First in Texas, then Louisiana and on and on until eventually we got Buffalo wings. So you see, if we close our borders, we

48 | ARROYO | 11.16


are closing ourselves off from everything in the world that is delicious! Not everyone, it seems, agrees with my love of shared cultural experience. Recently a bit of hoopla erupted over so-called cultural appropriation of food, in yet another attempt to keep me from eating the delicious foods. Complaints have surfaced from those who feel chef Rick Bayless, a privileged white guy from Chicago, has no right to be an expert in Mexican food. Elsewhere, the Oberlin College food court’s inauthentic rendition of bahn mi outraged students and set alum Lena Dunham off. And there is a contingent who would prefer that cuisines inspired by other cultures, such as Asian fusion, leave well enough alone. But, knowing as I do the fluid nature of culinary ingredients and techniques, the idea of “culturally insensitive” food is just a bit much for me. Bad bahn mi, Chinese chicken salad and the chalupa could be culturally insensitive — or they could just be bad. I eat curry, but I do not boil down India’s society into that forkful. On the contrary, it prompts me to learn more about India. If there is cultural insensitivity at all, it occurs in the desire to limit my ability to multiculturalize. Simply put, I am an ecumenical foodist, and anything that tries to stop me from eating something delicious is bad and wrong. Trying to live with an international flair may be misguided, or inauthentic — but it also might be well-intentioned. We may not see eye to eye on everything, but can’t we at least agree that attempting to cook food of another culture is at worst, an homage, and at best a celebration? After all, the metaphor for our society is a melting pot — not a divided cafeteria tray. Let us remember that 19th-century American disdain for the “garlic eaters” moving through Ellis Island eventually turned around and made pizza a national obsession. And though hot sauce was not created in the United States, it sits next to salt, pepper and ketchup on many tables in America. Food connects us to those of our kind, but it can also draw us closer to strangers. Cooking is the thing that makes us most human. And we are all human. (Although, this election cycle does make one wonder.) ||||

Culturally Appropriated Hot Sauce

This basic recipe for simple hot sauce can be enhanced as you see fit. Add more herbs and vegetables. Add more or less garlic, onion or sugar. Play with the type of vinegar you use. And definitely experiment with chile varieties. (Warning: this process can get compulsive.)

INGREDIENTS 1 pound fresh chiles, stems removed (Use what you love – or have growing in your garden – such as jalapeño, habanero, serrano, Scotch bonnet, Tabasco, etc. Or use a mixture.)

2 to 5 cloves garlic 1 large yellow onion, chopped ¼ cup sea salt 2 cups white vinegar 1 to 2 tablespoons brown sugar

METHOD 1. Combine chiles, garlic, onion and salt in a food processor and pulse into a paste. Transfer to a nonreactive bowl and cover with a damp towel. Leave at room temperature overnight, until the mixture begins to ferment. (You will see a little bubble action.) 2. Stir in vinegar and transfer to canning jars. Screw tops on loosely, and keep at room temperature for 3 to 7 days. Taste daily until flavor is developed to your liking. 3.Transfer sauce to a blender and purée until very smooth.Taste, then add additional sugar or vinegar as needed. Pass through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bottle or jar. Keep refrigerated.

Leslie Bilderback is a certified master baker, chef and cookbook author. She lives in South Pasadena and teaches her techniques online at culinarymasterclass.com. 11.16 | ARROYO | 49


THE LIST

Huntington Talks: Germs, Grass, Grant

A SELECTIVE PREVIEW OF UPCOMING EVENTS COMPILED BY JOHN SOLLENBERGER Ring by Cornelia Goldsmith

almost as a single organism. Caltech graduate student Alistair Hayden leads

Nov. 1 — A Huntington history of science

a postscreening discussion. Unreserved

lecture at 7:30 p.m. explores the 1955

seating costs $10.

fiasco stemming from Cutter Laborato-

Nov. 9 — An Earnest C. Watson lecture

ries’ inadvertent release of polio vaccine

by Carol Raymond, deputy principal in-

containing live virus. The lecturer is Dr. Neal

vestigator for the JPL’s Dawn Mission, ex-

Nathanson, emeritus professor of microbiol-

plores “Ceres: An Ancient Ocean World

ogy at the University of Pennsylvania, who

from the Dawn of the Solar System.” The

headed the Epidemic Intelligence Service

Dawn Mission explored dwarf planet

unit that investigated cases of polio from

Ceres and protoplanet Vesta and found

the tainted vaccine. Admission is free; no

that Ceres had an ancient, subsurface

reservations required.

ocean, suggesting the planet had astro-

Nov. 10 — Leading native plant specialist

biological potential (that is, it may have

Carol Bornstein discusses ways to replace

supported life). The 8 p.m. lecture is free.

water-guzzling home lawns with plants

Nov. 13 — A Coleman Chamber Music

requiring less water, including beautiful

Concert at 3:30 p.m. features the Imani

low-maintenance and climate-appropriate

Winds with pianist Fabio Bidini perform-

grasses, at 2:30 p.m. Her lecture, also ad-

ing works by Scott, Carter, Coleman,

dressing ways to create wildlife habitats

Hilborg and Mozart, plus traditional

book, American Ulysses: A Life of Ulysses S.

CONTEMPORARY CRAFTS MARKET OFFERS HOLIDAY WARES

Grant. One of America’s greatest gener-

Nov. 11, 12 and 13 — The Contemporary Crafts Market returns to the Pasadena

als and most misunderstood presidents,

Convention Center from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. all weekend, just in time for the

Grant was historically considered among

holidays. The annual market showcases the wares of some 250 artisans who

Walking to End Epilepsy

the “holy trinity” of U.S. leaders, along with

make handcrafted functional, decorative and wearable art, including jewelry,

Nov. 6 — The annual Walk to End

Lincoln and George Washington, until he

textiles, ceramics, glass, fine furnishings and many other items. All objects are

Epilepsy returns to the Rose Bowl from

fell out of favor with 20th-century historians.

one-of-a-kind. Admission costs $8 at the door.

8 a.m. to noon with such family-friendly

White will argue that we need to, again,

The Pasadena Convention Center is located at 300 E. Green St., Pasadena. Call (310)

activities as a pop-up children’s village,

reassess the man and his record. The 7:30

285-3655 or visit craftsource.org.

epilepsy information booths, arts and

in home gardens, will be followed by a plant sale. Admission is free; no reservations required. Nov. 10 — Ronald C. White, author of the biography A. Lincoln, discusses his new

p.m. lecture is free, but visit huntington.org/

Klezmer dances. Admission is $25 to $49, $20 for youth. All events take place in Caltech’s Beckman Auditorium, Michigan Avenue south of Del Mar Boulevard, Pasadena, on the Caltech campus. Call (626) 395-4652 or visit events.caltech.edu.

crafts, a photo booth, an appearance

calendar to register.

by wellness coach Kelly LeVeque, stage

The Huntington Library, Art Collections

at 7 p.m. at the Pasadena Civic Audito-

most sought-after.

performances, a marketplace and

and Botanical Gardens is located at 1151

rium Plaza. Look for food truck bites for

Nov. 13 — The museum presents a 1 p.m.

more. Registration costs $25 for guests

Oxford Rd., San Marino. Call (626) 405-2100

purchase, cash bars and live music by

Afternoon Salon exploring the Norton Simon

2 and older (registration closes at noon

or visit huntington.org.

1980s tribute band The Spazmatics. Tickets

exhibition States of Mind: Picasso Litho-

Nov. 4). Proceeds benefit a variety of

cost $45.

graphs 1945 –1960, the artist’s fascination

epilepsy-related organizations.

Arcadia, Pasadena Parties Bookend Breeders’ Cup

The Pasadena Civic Auditorium Plaza is

with the lithographic process and the ways

The Rose Bowl is located at 1001 Rose

located at 300 E. Green St., Pasadena. Visit

he transformed its practice in the 1940s.

Bowl Dr., Pasadena. Visit walktoendepi-

Nov. 2 — Racing fans can celebrate the

pasadenacivic.visitpasadena.com.

Both events are free with museum admis-

lepsy.org.

sion of $12 and $9 for seniors; members,

run-up to Santa Anita’s Breeders’ Cup at

Rousseau, Picasso Spotlighted at Norton Simon

students and visitors 18 and younger are

Cleese and Idle Together Again

Line Plaza in Arcadia. The event features

admitted free.

Nov. 11 — Monty Python founding mem-

live music by Sting tribute band Ghost in the

Nov. 5 — A J. Paul Getty Museum scholar

Norton Simon Museum is located at 411

bers Eric Idle and John Cleese link up

Machine, food truck offerings, a cash bar,

sheds “New Light on an Old Masterpiece:

W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. Call (626)

for laughs with their irreverent, absurdist

the dedication of a star on Santa Anita’s

Théodore Rousseau’s Morning Effect” in

449-6840 or visit nortonsimon.org.

comedy at 8 p.m. at the Pasadena Civic

Walk of Champions honoring racehorse

a 4 p.m. lecture. Scott Allan, associate

Zenyatta and distribution of the 2016 limited

curator of paintings, focuses on a principal highlight of the Getty exhibition Unruly

Penguins, Planet, Pianist at Caltech

14 and older. Ticket prices range from

edition Maker’s Mark commemorative bottle featuring Zenyatta. Admission is free.

Nature: The Landscapes of Théodore Rous-

Nov. 5 — The high-def documentary

The Pasadena Civic Auditorium is

The Gold Line Plaza is located at First

seau. Allen places the mid-1800s painting

Ice Worlds at 2 p.m. reveals life in the

located at 300 E. Green St., Pasadena.

Avenue and Huntington Drive. Visit

in the contexts of the artist’s career and its

Arctic and Antarctic, with time-lapse

Visit cleeseandidle.com.

breederscup.com/experience/events.

contentious reception at the Paris Salon

cameras focusing on a colony of

Nov. 4 — The Breeders’ Cup Fan Fest starts

when his works were among the world’s

emperor penguins that come together

5 p.m. during Arcadia Night at the Gold

50 | ARROYO | 11.16

Auditorium. The show is suitable for those

$59.50 to $99.50.

–continued on page 53


11.16 | ARROYO | 51


52 | ARROYO | 11.16


THE LIST

AMERICANA AT BRAND LIGHTS UP FOR THE HOLIDAYS Nov. 18 through Dec. 31 — The Americana at Brand lights up the holidays with a 100-foot-high Christmas tree — one of the tallest on the West Coast — amid a sea of twinkling lights.Yuletide carols, daily entertainment and nightly snow-making add to the holiday ambience. With the Caruso App, guests can make an online reservation for a photo with Santa. Events include festive shopping and dining, valet parking and concierge services, extended shopping hours and Caruso Rewards double points on all purchases through Dec. 31. The Americana at Brand is located at 889 Americana Way, Glendale. For details and downloading the Caruso App, visit americanaatbrand.com.

–continued from page 50

tellers, short documentaries by native

Art Fair Comes to Central Park

filmmakers, artist demonstrations, hands-on

Nov. 12 and 13 — The annual Jackalope

crafts, theater, children’s activities and

Art Fair returns to Pasadena’s Central

food for purchase. Admission costs $14,

Park from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. both days.

$10 for seniors and students and $6 for

This curated shopping experience fea-

children 3 to 12. Children under 3 are

tures the works of some 200 trendsetting

admitted free.

local artists and artisans. The fair includes

The Autry is located at 4700 Western Heri-

food for purchase and do-it-yourself art

tage Way, Griffith Park. Call (323) 667-2000

workshops for all ages. Admission is free.

or visit theautry.org.

Central Park is located at 275 S. Raymond Ave., Pasadena. Visit jackalope-

Sardonic Sedaris Speaks at Civic

artfair.com/pasadena.

Nov. 15 — Humorist David Sedaris brings his sardonic wit and incisive social critiques

Indian Arts Spotlighted at the Autry

to the Pasadena Civic Auditorium at 7:30

Nov. 12 and 13 — The annual Indian Arts

p.m. The show is recommended for adults

Marketplace returns to the Autry Museum

18 and older. Ticket prices range from $45

of the American West from 10 a.m. to

to $100.

5 p.m. both days, with contemporary and

The Pasadena Civic Auditorium is located

traditional works by some 200 artists from

at 300 E. Green St., Pasadena. Call (312)

more than 40 tribes. Look for performances

274-1800 or visit pasadenacivic.visitpasa-

by native dancers, musicians and story-

dena.com.

–continued on page 54 11.16 | ARROYO | 53


THE LIST

–continued from page 53

Children’s Chorus Joined by German Choir

645-5006 or visit roseconcerts.com.

Nov. 15 — The Los Angeles Children’s Chorus (LACC) performs with the Children’s

Orchestra Showcases Teen Violin Prodigy at UCLA

Choir of the Berlin State Opera, led by

Nov. 20 — The Young Artists Symphony

Music Director Vinzenz Weissenburger, at

Orchestra performs a free 7 p.m.

7 p.m. at Pasadena Presbyterian Church.

concert at UCLA’s Royce Hall featuring

LACC, led by Artistic Director Anne Tom-

17-year-old violin prodigy Aubree Oliver-

linson, shares the stage with the German

son, one of only two musicians named

choir in a concert of classical works and

a 2016 U.S. Presidential Scholar for the

folk songs. Ticket prices start at $26, half-

Arts. Oliverson will perform Wieniawski’s

price for those 17 and younger.

Violin Concerto No. 2 in D Minor. Artistic

Pasadena Presbyterian Church is located

Director Alexander Treger conducts the

at 585 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. Call

program, which also includes works by

(626) 793-4321 or visit lachildrenschorus.org.

Stucky and Schoenberg. UCLA’s Royce Hall is located at 340

Art, Toys, Zombies at DesignerCon

Royce Dr., L.A. Call (310) 905-3496 or visit

Nov. 19 and 20 — DesignerCon comes to

yasola.org.

the Pasadena Convention Center for two

parel and urban, underground and pop

An Enchanted Forest at Descanso Gardens

art. This year’s show, which has a 1990s

Nov. 25 through Jan. 8 — “Enchanted:

theme, includes some 1,000 toys from

Forest of Light” debuts at Descanso

Japan. Highlights include the Comic Bricks

Gardens for 43 nights starting Nov. 25.

Art Show with dozens of fan-built LEGO

Two theatrical lighting houses create 12

comic book covers; the zombie-themed

unique light experiences that illuminate

Children of the Halfcast Art Show based

the Oak Grove, the Rose Garden and

on the Willo figure by Kyle Kirwan; and

Camellia Forest. Some of the large-scale

the Back to the Future Art Show, featuring

light displays are interactive, allowing

works from the private collection of Ben

guests to manipulate the lights and

Goretsky. Across Green Street from the

sounds. Hot cocoa and adult beverages

Convention Center, The Rose entertain-

are available for purchase in the Lake-

ment venue hosts discussion panels and

side Lounge. Hours are 5 to 10 p.m. daily,

the official DesignerCon party on Saturday

except Christmas Eve and Christmas

night. Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday

Day. Tickets cost $28 and $24 for seniors

and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday. One-day

and children 3 to 17; children 2 and

passes cost $10, weekend show-only

younger are admitted free.

passes cost $15 and VIP show and party

Descanso Gardens is located at 1418

passes go for $25.

Descanso Dr., La Cañada Flintridge. Call

The Pasadena Convention Center is

(818) 949-4200 visit descansogardens.org.

days, offering collectible toys, designer ap-

located at 300 E. Green St., Pasadena. Visit

54 | ARROYO | 11.16

designercon.com.

Fritz Coleman Defies Gravity in NoHo

Don Rickles Marks Big Birthday

Nov. 27 — KNBC-TV weatherman Fritz

Nov. 20 — You can help Don “Mr. Warmth”

Coleman’s double life as a comedian

Rickles celebrate his 90th birthday at The

comes into view in a 2 p.m. show at El

Rose in Pasadena. TV icon Regis Philbin

Portal Mainstage Theatre in North Holly-

hosts the 8 p.m. show, celebrating the

wood. In Defying Gravity, Coleman offers

55-year career of the award-winning

hilarious insights into the Baby Boomer

comedian famous for poking fun at

generation’s challenges — getting older,

people of all ethnicities and in all walks of

defying the odds and what happens

life. (Mr. Warmth: The Don Rickles Project,

when parts of your body begin having

a 2007 documentary directed by John

their own midlife crises. Tickets cost $35.

Landis, won two Emmy Awards.) Ticket

The El Portal Mainstage Theatre is

prices range from $98 to $168.

located at 5269 Lankershim Blvd., North

The Rose is located at 245 E. Green St.,

Hollywood. Call (866) 811-4111 or visit

Pasadena (in Paseo Colorado). Call (888)

elportaltheatre.com.

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11.16 | ARROYO | 56


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